I totally, completely understand if you have a difficult relationship with stuffed animals. They’re cute, they have sentimental value, and they’re hard to part with. But they also take up so. much. room. Even if you have a dedicated playroom, you could easily fill an entire toy chest with them and still be overrun with fluff.
So what do you do? Display them on beds? Sure, if you’ve got only three or four and your kids actually make their beds every morning. Bag them up and store them in the attic? You could, but then there’s exactly zero chance they’ll ever get played with.
The solution I’ve found to keep plushies out of sight but easily accessible is this Toy Storage Bean Bag. (You know I chose the 48" one, because no half measures!) It holds way more animals than I thought it would — currently at 58, and there’s still room for more — and I love that it not only contains the toys, but also converts them into something useful. The filled beanbag is a little lumpy, and has a few hard spots from plastic noses and such, but it’s comfortable enough for short-term lounging as long as you don’t let it get too empty.
I haven’t had it for years, so I can’t fully speak to the durability, but so far, the canvas seems sturdy and the zipper has held up to fairly regular use. It seems to be well sewn, and the handle doesn’t feel like it’s in danger of detaching when I lug the bag between rooms. I’m kind of thinking about getting a second one for all of our TV watching blankets.
The price varies by size and print, but there are so many patterns to choose from that you shouldn’t have trouble selecting one that fits in with your decor. Pick a colorful, cartoony print and banish it to your child’s room, or go with an understated solid grey and keep it right in your main living space. I went with lime green stripes and put it in my upstairs hallway, because I believe that “I have kids, and they have stuff” is a valid design choice. I just want to maintain a tiny semblance of organization.